the better the read you will get on what it would be like for you to be in
this job or field.
Try to set up appointments with at least three different people.Yo u
will want to make sure that you are not relying on just one person’s
opinion. For this reason it is a good idea to have informational inter-
views with at least threedifferent people for each job area that you are
exploring.
Talk to people in the target organization last.If you are able to find
a contact at a place where you might really like to work, you may want
to wait a bit to arrange an interview. Information you gather from other
interviews along the way will enable you to ask just the right questions
of this insider.
Of course, if you only have time for one informational interview,
then your top choice should probably be someone from the target orga-
nization.HOW TO PREPARE FOR AN INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW
Although the purpose of an informational interview is to obtain infor-
mation, prior research and preparation are still essential. The more you
know going into an interview, the better your questions will be. And if
you have done your homework, you won’t have to burn up valuable time
asking basic questions about things you could have found out on your
own. In an informational interview you want to focus on picking up in-
sider information that you are unlikely to get from a printed source.
Remember, the better prepared you are for this interview, the bet-
ter the impression you are likely to make on a person who has the po-
tential to help you. The following are some ways to prepare for an in-
formational interview.Do prior research on the person and the organization.Learn some-
thing about the person you are going to see, beginning with his or her
title. You also need to have information about the company or organi-
zation, along with its products or services, size, and place in the mar-
ket. You should not have to ask for information that is easily available
elsewhere. In particular, make sure you have studied the organization’s
Web site and that you have skimmed newspapers, weekly news maga-
zines, and trade journals for current information on the organization.
Prepare key questions ahead of time. Write down the key questions
you want to ask. It is not inappropriate to bring this list. In fact, it’s a
good way of letting the interviewee know that you have done your
homework and are well prepared. Later in this chapter, in the section
on conducting interviews, we will suggest some key questions you
might consider asking.
Be prepared to talk about yourself.While you will be responsible
for conducting the interview, the person with whom you are speaking
is, nevertheless, likely to ask you about yourself. In fact, it is a good idea
to talk a little bit at the beginning of the interview about your back-
ground and to articulate your current career goals. Having this know-Chapter 4: Using Informational Interviews to Perfect Your Portfolio 51